Nurse's Day, Intntl.

International Nurses' Day is celebrated on May 12th; a date which marks the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth.

The first official proposal to honour nurses and their contributions was made by Dorothy Sutherland in 1953 but went unnoticed. In October 1954 Nurses' Week was celebrated but without follow up. Another unrealized proposal was made in 1972.

Finally, in 1974 the International Council of Nurses proclaimed May 12th the International Nurses' Day and in 1990 this became a week-long event starting on May 6th and is marked by efforts to raise awareness about health related issues.